[captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> good afternoon, everyone. our big story is down to the wire in washington for negotiations and a vote to avoid falling off the fiscal cliff. today, the president will meet with several congressional

leaders at the white house to try to work out a deal. jennifer johnson has the latest. >> midafternoon. people in washington are now talking about a smaller deal getting done to try to prevent american from going over the fiscal cliff, but that deal will only be a temporary fix. all the major players are expected at the white house. senate leaders harry reid and its mcconnell, house leaders john boehner and nancy pelosi. it was a done with vice- president joe biden and president obama to work on a short time fixed for the crisis. >> i hope there is a deal that avoid the worst parts of the fiscal cliff, mainly taxes going up and middle-class people. i think the odds are better than they could be that people think. >> the agreement would include not only an extension of middle- class tax cuts but would also extend unemployment benefits for millions. >> tax increases need to be

avoided, they can be. in the end, we will get a deal. the question is the timing. it is encouraging that both sides continue to sit down and have lines of communication open. >> but a smaller deal will only leave a problem for the incoming congress in january. that is discouraging to america's ceo's. >> we still have the big problem of how we are going to fix our deficit and debt in the country. we know the parties have to work together, and we know we have to resolve this as quickly as possible. >> wall street is keeping a close eye on talks in washington. analysts are worried that any delay could rattle already fragile markets. >> two weeks after the tragedy

at sandy hook elementary, the topic of gun-control has heated up at the state and federal levels and as talk of legislative action increases, so do gun sales. then sales have spiked across the nation as people are buying guns that are now legal but may not be if new legislation passes. maryland is no exception. there were 7200 applications in november, but following the shooting, those numbers do to be spiking. >> we do not have part numbers for december but we believe we are looking at over 8200 purchase applications. >> in 2011, more than 46,000 purchase applications were processed. by the end of the year, police protect 62,000 will be handled. a man remains in a coma after being beaten at a home in west baltimore. authorities found steven pearson beaten unconscious on mcculloh street.

he had gone to give an estimate on some contract work when he went missing. >> all i know is that they rob him. it is wrong what they did. i hear about this stuff on the news but i never thought it would come to my family, during the holiday season. >> pearson remains in serious but stable condition and the search for a suspect continues. anyone with information is asked to call a city police. baltimore police have made an arrest in the death of a 20-year old man. it is the girlfriend who reported the shooting that is behind bars. she told police she found her boyfriend be the -- bleeding from a gunshot wound in northwest baltimore. after investigating the incident, police have determined it was actually cutler who was the shooter. along with her, police have arrested two others as accessories.

it is turning out to be a nice afternoon. >> temperatures hitting the 40 degree mark across the metro area. right now we have a few more clouds across the era before the next storm system. the forecast for today, expecting temperatures in the upper 30's to 40's with partly cloudy skies, light winds out of the northwest. we will detail the timing of the snow and how much akin to lachish -- accumulation we could get. >> thank you. the recent cold snap has claimed its first tragedy here in maryland. a frederick county man described as 65 years old died of hyperthermia sometime between december 18 and december 24. officials are urging people to prepared for the cold weather by

wearing layers and keeping your feet and hands warm and dry. the the officials continue to process requests for aid in superstorm sandy. so far the federal government has sent more than $1 million to the somerset area and officials are urging residents to use care when spending it. housing assistance grants may only be used for repairs, short- term rental assistance, or hotel expenses. coming up, a gift cards are a common gift over the holidays, but there are some mornings. and after being ill for several weeks, hillary clinton returns to work. what is on the top of

>> the man who let u.s. forces to victory during the first goal for in 1991 has died. retired general norman schwarzkopf died in florida at the age of 78. known popularly as stormin norman, he served his last assignment as commander in chief of central command before retiring in 1992. a spokesperson for george h.w. bush have asked people to put the heart back in the closet when it comes to his

hospitalization. he has been in intensive care since november battling a case of bronchitis and a series of complications. officials say the president is in for a long recovery but is alert and is very comfortable. after being out of commission for several weeks due to estimate virus and a concussion, secretary of state hillary clinton will return to work next week. doctors had brought her from overseas travel for several more weeks but she will be prepared to step down as secretary of state early next year. her return also paves the way for testifying about the diplomatic attacks in benghazi. corporation for the new york new year's eve celebrations are in the final stages. this is the first year dick clark will not be in attendance. the broadcast icon hosted the event for four years before passing aware earlier this year. in his honor, this year's cristobal includes a triangle in

grand with dick clark's name. mushrooms could be the key to treating cancer. how researchers are unlocking the potential of the turkey kale. >> we are watching this first- round to protect -- precipitation working its way into the area. most of the rain will be coming in tonight and tomorrow. first, and live look at doors as the clouds are building in baltimore. it's about getting fios. that moment after you finally got it that you actually get it. when you see the difference 100% fiber optics makes, and you say "woah we are not on cable anymore." when online videos aren't herky jerky, you get it. or when a movie downloads in two minutes, you get it.

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>> a popular baby product is being pulled from the market in light of five infant deaths. amazon, toys r us, and others

are recalling 150,000 recliners because of what the cpsc is calling a substantial risk of death to instance. -- infants. this is the second time that the recliner has been recalled. the first time was in 2010 after the first death was reported. experts estimate american spent more than $110 billion on giffords this year. if you receive a gift for this year, we have some mornings. >> gift cards are convenient but watch out. >> in several instances, the ftc has filed actions against retailers. >> this is the regional director for the federal trade commission which several years ago ordered kmart and the olive garden and red lobster restaurant chains to disclose fees under gift card

and reimburse customers. now is federal law that those fees and terms be easily seen. >> any expiration must be clearly disclosed on the card itself and any fees, such as inactivity fees, must be clearly disclosed on the card or its packaging. >> and inactivity fees can only be imposed after a certain amount of time. >> connect to the fees can only been charged one year after the card has not been used. and then they can be charged only once a month by those fees. >> be careful about buying cards online and. >> know and trust your source. ovoid on-line auction sites. >> if you receive a gift for this holiday, the ftc has this advice. >> is a good idea to use it right away. people displaced kurds, it is not unusual for it to be lost. we recommend using it as soon as

possible. >> the shipping industry preparing now to come to a screeching halt. negotiations between longshoremen and the u.s. maritime all lines are not going well. if an agreement is not reached by sunday, 2000 workers in baltimore and thousands along the east coast could go on strike. that would mean a complete shutdown of all ports from maine to texas. the spokesperson says that the strike would only be partial and that would only affect cargo ship in containers. worker royalties for that type of container is a big sticking point. >> if containers remained to be the focal point, we began would be an advantage for us because we do have other cargo. >> the port of baltimore is plan to keep two terminals open tomorrow to allow as many trucks as possible to make a pickup, in case there is a strike.

>> we are enjoying a quiet end to the work ek but we have a new storm system looming as we go into the weekend. a snow system that could bring more accumulation across the maryland area. notice this little patch of snow tracking through west virginia. it is changing over to is wanted moves over the mountains and it will basically fall apart, so i'm not expecting much in hagerstown, but they could get a couple of flurries. nothing to worry about. but it does show what is on the way. a wider view of the radar. the moisture really coming in from the gulf of mexico with the rain and thunderstorms in louisiana right now, spreading through mississippi and tennessee, kentucky as well. it is the northern part of the storm that will pass through our area and that is what could bring us know. temperatures are pretty nice right now.

41 and bwi. 42 in annapolis. 41 right now at ocean city. temperatures should be in the lower for a pause for much of the state in the afternoon. clouds increasing. especially after midnight and early tomorrow morning, temperatures in the 30's downtown, 20's in the suburbs. futurecast showing a good progression of the storm system, clouds increasing through the later half of the day to night and after 4:00 a.m. showers continue to build across the baltimore metro area. they will continue throughout the morning and then the rain- snow line will continue north, much like we saw the day after christmas. it could start out for snow for many of you and then change into the icy mix. that will cut down on the accumulation and help the roads become more slushy rather than i see.

tomorrow -- rather than icy. the icy mix could affect areas as south as washington, d.c. i would not be surprised if you see some sleet with that, but do not expect much accumulation. of course, the northwest suburbs can see more than the metro area. the big picture, watch out for the roads tomorrow. by the afternoon, it starts to mix to rain, clearing out by the evening. sunday is dry, high of 48 degrees. new year's day, there could be an icy mix. >> scientists say prevented cancer screenings in america are at a decade low.

researchers at the university of miami miller school of medicine compared screening rates for the most common types of cancers with those screening rates for cancer survivors. when it comes to recommendations, screenings are down for all types of cancers, except for colon rector cancel -- cancer. the secret to treating cancer patients could be in a mushroom. researchers are unlocking the power of the turkey tail. >> this is how she shares her gift, teaching children on the ice. >> skating is the a sense of exhilaration. >> and this is how she feeds her soul. >> it gives me the opportunity to express myself. >> then came breast cancer. >> once i was diagnosed, i kind

of shut everything down. >> she is convinced she is back on the ice today because after her surgery she refused chemotherapy and turned to a natural healing university in the middle of the groundbreaking investigation. >> we consider cancer a failure of the immune system. when lisa came here, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and she wanted to know what she could do. >> the doctor decided to introduce her to the turkey tail, a small mushroom found in the northwest forest. other errors in the world have been using it for centuries to boost the body's immune system. >> i measured her immune system which first came and it was not an ideal shape. >> researchers got permission to study the healing qualities of turkey tail. >> when they are ingested into the body, they stimulate immune cells lining the intestines, and those stimulate other cells throughout the body. >> so far, the treatment is

boosting her immune system and outlook, as well as her chances to be a common sight for years to come. >> very interesting. doctors say the moves of the 20% of all americans could also be on the way down because winter can contribute to the onset of seasonal affective disorder. much like depression, s.a.d. causes sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and affects more women than men. getting outside and working let me can all help battle the symptoms of s.a.d. when we come back, your pick 3 and pick 4 numbers, and another look at the forecast. first, here is a look at how wall street is performing at this hour.

[monotone] she says, "switch to progressive and you could save hundreds." call or click today. >> one arizona family is celebrating a very large accomplishment. the family loveable great dane has been named the tallest living female dog by the guinness book of world records. she weighs in at 170 pounds, eads 4 cups of dog food a day. the owners had to use a certified measuring stick to confirm that she stands over 3

feet tall on all fours. she has won four obedience titles but has now retired and spends most of her days as a couch potato. tonight at 5:00, a late breaking details on the longshoremen's strike that could paralyze the ports in baltimore and dundalk. new state law work to protect your lot from identity theft. what you need to know to make it work for you. and a brutal beating have some screaming hate crime. details on the controversial assault and police investigation. now your maryland lottery pick 3 and pick 4 numbers. >> the maryland lottery celebrates purple season all weekend long. >> let's play. your pick 3 numbers. 7. in the middle, five. final member for pick 3.

3. pick 3 numbers are 7, 5, 3. we would get to the pick 4 in a moment. moving right along to the pick 4 game, marsha harris. 9. the next number is 9. fallen by 4. our final no. 4 pick for is 1. recapping pick 4 -- 9, 9, 4, 1. the maryland lottery. let yourself play. >> playing with the snowflakes tomorrow. >> yes, we are expecting some snow across the area, but how much is the big question. >> thanks so much for joining us. be sure to watch tonight at 5:00.

>> have a great evening.